GENDER EMPOWERMENT: INTERFACE WITH GEOGRAPHIC SPACE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Canada. Its presentation and outcomes vary significantly by race/ethnicity. This study explores breast cancer incidence, age at diagnosis, stage, subtype, and mortality, comparing Black and White women aged 20 years and older, using the 2011 and 2016 Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohorts databases. Black women were disaggregated into Caribbean, Central/West African (C/WA), Southern/East African (S/EA), and "Other" ancestry groups. The Black female study population had a lower mean age (43.0 years) than the White (50.5 years). Black women had lower overall age-standardized breast cancer incidence than White women. The age-specific incidence in Black women ages 30-39 of Caribbean origin was higher (RR 95% CL, 1.36, 1.04-1.79; 58.7 vs. 43.1 cases/100,000 person-years) than in White. White women had 14.6% of cases diagnosed at ages 20-49 compared to over 50% in Black women of C/WA and S/EA origins, with highest proportions of diagnoses occurring at least 10 years earlier among Black women (C/WA 46, S/EA 48, Caribbean 57, White 67). Proportions of prognostic stage I diagnoses were less common among Black vs. White women (53.2% vs. 65.9%, p < 0.0001), and triple negative breast cancer was more frequent among Black women (17.1% vs. 9.9%, p < 0.0001), particularly those of Central/West African ancestry (21.8%). Higher age-specific mortality was observed among Black women with Caribbean origins aged 40-49 (RR 95% CL, 1.70, 1.19-2.42) and 50-59 (RR 95% CL, 1.42, 1.08-1.88) compared to White women. Breast cancer characteristics and outcomes vary substantially by ancestry within Canada's Black population. Tailored screening strategies accounting for earlier onset and aggressive subtypes may help mitigate disparities.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting modifications to health services have exacerbated the global number of negative maternal and perinatal outcomes. Using data from electronic health records, a study by Piekos and colleagues showed that mild or moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection early on in pregnancy resulted in increased risk of preterm delivery and stillbirth, emphasising the importance of prioritising pregnant people for COVID-19 vaccination. However, the pandemic has also elucidated social and racial disparities in these outcomes; a rapid report by MBRRACE-UK found that six of the ten women reviewed who died during or after pregnancy from COVID-19 or its complications were from Black or minority ethnic groups. Such disparities have been previously recognised to play a role in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Using data from 2017 to 2019, results of a maternal deaths and morbidity report by MBRRACE-UK showed persistent inequalities in maternal mortality rates; compared with White women, those who are Asian, of mixed ethnic background, or Black have a higher risk of dying in pregnancy. Likewise in the USA, data from 2014 to 2017 showed that Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native women were more likely to die during or within 1 year after pregnancy than women of other racial and ethnic groups. Studies have investigated underlying systemic causes, such as socioeconomic status. For example, analyses of data from England from 2015 to 2017 found that 24% of stillbirths, 19% of preterm births, and 31% of births with fetal growth restriction could be attributed to socioeconomic inequality, and adjusting for factors including ethnic group substantially reduced these percentages. Outdated government policies can also have long-standing impacts. In the USA, redlining is a historical discriminatory practice of delineating areas and basing the safety of investments on the racial composition of these areas, negatively impacting people of colour. This practice has been linked to poor health outcomes; within redlined areas, the rate of preterm births is higher in neighbourhoods graded as hazardous compared with better graded neighbourhoods, emphasising the enduring consequences of structural racism. Digital technologies have been recognised as a potential tool to address racial and ethnic health inequalities. A partnership between the NHS AI Lab and the Health Foundation is funding four artificial intelligence-based projects aiming to tackle this issue, such as developing standards to improve the representativeness of health datasets and using machine learning to investigate factors contributing to harmful outcomes experienced by mothers of different ethnic groups. Given that implicit biases within health-care systems can affect the care and treatment received, the Irth app was developed to enable expectant people of colour in the USA to search and write reviews of doctors or hospitals to empower others like them to make more informed choices about where and from whom to receive care. The use of digital tools can also speed up the implementation of system-wide changes. An example of this is the removal of race and ethnicity variables from a calculator used to estimate the likelihood of a successful vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC), which systematically predicts lower chances of success for people of colour; the updated tool was shown to be accurate, and as it is available online, its dissemination and use could potentially occur more rapidly and provide equitable options for safe delivery. It is clear that COVID-19 has only served to worsen maternal health inequalities, and addressing them requires a multifaceted approach. It is imperative to ensure equitable access to health care and treatments, including COVID-19 vaccines, to prevent adverse outcomes, and eliminate biases in patient–provider interactions. Acknowledging and addressing the systemic causes of inequalities outside of the health system (such as providing greater education and employment opportunities) would also go some way towards improving health outcomes. Digital health services like telemedicine have proved pivotal for managing health conditions during the pandemic, but more investment is needed to increase the availability of these services to underserved and rural communities. It is also vital to collect globally representative data on maternal and perinatal outcomes to push for accountability at the government level, and drive policy changes to ensure a safe, healthy, and equitable maternal experience for all. Adverse pregnancy outcomes attributable to socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities in England: a national cohort studyOur results indicate that socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities were responsible for a substantial proportion of stillbirths, preterm births, and births with FGR in England. The largest inequalities were seen in Black and South Asian women in the most socioeconomically deprived quintile. Prevention should target the entire population as well as specific minority ethnic groups at high risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, to address risk factors and wider determinants of health. Full-Text PDF

Objectives There is limited evidence regarding the impact of race/racism and its intersection with socioeconomic status (SES) on breast and cervical cancer, the two most common female cancers globally. We investigated racial inequalities in breast and cervical cancer mortality and whether SES (education and household conditions) interacted with race/ethnicity. Design The 100 Million Brazilian Cohort data were linked to the Brazilian Mortality Database, 2004–2015 (n = 20,665,005 adult women). We analysed the association between self-reported race/ethnicity (White/‘Parda’(Brown)/Black/Asian/Indigenous) and cancer mortality using Poisson regression, adjusting for age, calendar year, education, household conditions and area of residence. Additive and multiplicative interactions were assessed. Results Cervical cancer mortality rates were higher among Indigenous (adjusted Mortality rate ratio = 1.80, 95%CI 1.39–2.33), Asian (1.63, 1.20–2.22), ‘Parda’(Brown) (1.27, 1.21–1.33) and Black (1.18, 1.09–1.28) women vs White women. Breast cancer mortality rates were higher among Black (1.10, 1.04–1.17) vs White women. Racial inequalities in cervical cancer mortality were larger among women of poor household conditions, and low education (P for multiplicative interaction <0.001, and 0.02, respectively). Compared to White women living in completely adequate (3–4) household conditions, the risk of cervical cancer mortality in Black women with 3–4, 1–2, and none adequate conditions was 1.10 (1.01–1.21), 1.48 (1.28–1.71), and 2.03 (1.56–2.63), respectively (Relative excess risk due to interaction-RERI = 0.78, 0.18–1.38). Among ‘Parda’(Brown) women the risk was 1.18 (1.11–1.25), 1.68 (1.56–1.81), and 1.84 (1.63–2.08), respectively (RERI = 0.52, 0.16–0.87). Compared to high-educated White women, the risk in high-, middle- and low-educated Black women was 1.14 (0.83–1.55), 1.93 (1.57–2.38) and 2.75 (2.33–3.25), respectively (RERI = 0.36, −0.05–0.77). Among ‘Parda’(Brown) women the risk was 1.09 (0.91–1.31), 1.99 (1.70–2.33) and 3.03 (2.61–3.52), respectively (RERI = 0.68, 0.48–0.88). No interactions were found for breast cancer. Conclusion Low SES magnified racial inequalities in cervical cancer mortality. The intersection between race/ethnicity, SES and gender needs to be addressed to reduce racial health inequalities.

Introduction

Racial Differences in Stillbirth Risk Factors in Women Who Experienced Stillbirth During 2016

Background: Increased availability of telehealth can improve access to health care. However, there is evidence of persistent disparities in telehealth usage, as well as among people from minoritized racial and ethnic groups and rural residents. The objective of our work was to explore the degree to which disparities in telehealth use for behavioral health (BH) and musculoskeletal (MSK) related services during the COVID-19 pandemic are explained by observed beneficiary- and area-level characteristics. Methods: Using North Carolina Medicaid claims data of Medicaid beneficiaries with BH or MSK conditions, we apply nonlinear regression-based decomposition analysis-based models developed by Kitagawa, Oaxaca, and Blinder to determine which observed variables are associated with racial, ethnic, and rural inequalities in telehealth usage. Results: In the BH cohort, we found statistically significant differences in telehealth usage by race in the adult population, and by race, Hispanic ethnicity, and rurality in the pediatric population. In the MSK cohort, we found significant inequities by Hispanic ethnicity and rurality among adults, and by race and rurality among children. Inequalities in telehealth use between groups were small, ranging from 0.7 percentage points between urban and rural adults with MSK conditions to 3.8 percentage points between white adults and people of color among those with BH conditions. Overall, we found that racial and ethnic inequalities in telehealth use are not well explained by the observed variables in our data. Rural disparities in telehealth use are better explained by observed variables, particularly area-level broadband internet use. Conclusions: For inequalities between rural and urban residents, our analysis provides observational evidence that infrastructure such as broadband internet access is an important driver of differences in telehealth use. For racial and ethnic inequalities, the pathways may be more complex and difficult to measure, particularly when relying on administrative data sources in place of more detailed data on individual-level socioeconomic factors.

Comparison of outcome of cardiac rehabilitation in black women and white women

The active participation of Black South African women in the corporate sector is essential for the achievement of equity and diversity. Since 1994 the sector has failed to promote black women into managerial positions despite the existence of the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 that requires the equitable representation of previously disadvantaged groups on all occupational levels. Conversely, the managerial positions in the South African corporate sector continue to be dominated by white males and little effort is being made to achieve equity. The paucity of black women persists in the corporate sector during a period in which South Africa, like many other countries, is preparing itself for the fourth industrial revolution, which has broad implications for the sector. Black women are under-represented in the emerging technological environment in South Africa, and this imbalance is further perpetuating the exclusion of black women from managerial positions. This paper argues that the emerging technological environment presents an opportunity for the corporate sector to reflect on the training needs of Black women and prioritise technology in its quest to achieve equity. An increase in the number of black women with technological skills would enhance their prospects of occupying meaningful managerial roles. The corporate sector in South Africa is expected to comply with progressive statutory interventions and policies to advance women in the emerging technological environment who have the right qualifications, experience, and competency to fill the managerial positions from which they were previously excluded. In this paper we examine and analyse the challenges which are hampering the progression of black women into managerial echelons in post-1994 democratic South Africa. In order to present an objective and balanced view, we also present the strides being taken by some corporates (very few of them) to address the problem of the obstacles to the advancement of Black South African women to managerial positions.

Prior studies reported that US life expectancy decreased considerably in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with estimates suggesting that the decreases were much larger among Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black populations than non-Hispanic White populations. Studies based on provisional data suggested that other high-income countries did not experience the large decrease in life expectancy observed in the US; this study sought to confirm these findings according to official death counts and to broaden the pool of comparison countries. To calculate changes in US life expectancy between 2019 and 2020 by sex, race, and ethnicity and to compare those outcomes with changes in other high-income countries. This cross-sectional study involved a simulation of life tables based on national death and population counts for the US and 21 other high-income countries in 2019 and 2020, by sex, including an analysis of US outcomes by race and ethnicity. Data were analyzed in January 2022. Official death counts from the US and 21 peer countries. Life expectancy at birth and credible range (CR) based on 10% uncertainty. Between 2019 and 2020, US life expectancy decreased by a mean of 1.87 years (CR, 1.70-2.03 years), with much larger decreases occurring in the Hispanic (3.70 years; CR, 3.53-3.87 years) and non-Hispanic Black (3.22 years; CR, 3.03-3.40 years) populations than in the non-Hispanic White population (1.38 years; CR, 1.21-1.54 years). The mean decrease in life expectancy among peer countries was 0.58 years (CR, 0.42-0.73 year) across all 21 countries. No peer country experienced decreases as large as those seen in the US. Official death counts confirm that US life expectancy decreased between 2019 and 2020 on a scale not seen in 21 peer countries, substantially widening the preexisting gap in life expectancy between the US and peer countries. The decrease in US life expectancy was experienced disproportionately by Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black populations, consistent with a larger history of racial and ethnic health inequities resulting from policies of exclusion and systemic racism. Policies to address the systemic causes of the US health disadvantage relative to peer countries and persistent racial and ethnic inequities are essential.

Introduction: Giving birth may be associated with a transient increase in breast cancer risk post-delivery and with elevated risk of basal breast cancers, especially in the absence of breastfeeding, whereas parity is related to lower risk of postmenopausal ER-positive tumors. Black women develop more early-onset and basal breast cancers than White women, but factors contributing to this disparity are poorly understood. Accordingly, we compared levels of 15 proteins with hypothesized roles in breast cancer risk in breastmilk from healthy Black and White women. Methods: We tested breastmilk donated by 130 Black and 162 White women, annotated with breast cancer risk factor questionnaire data. Following pilot testing using the MesoScale Discovery system (Rockville, MD), the following analytes were measured in breastmilk, adjusted for total protein concentration: interferon-γ, IL1-β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, FLT-1, TIE-2, PlGF, VEGFC, VEGFD, adiponectin, leptin, and FAS-L. M30-apoptosis and Bradford protein were measured with Molecular Devices VersaMax reader (Sunnyvale, CA). Univariate associations of race with women's characteristics were computed using chi square tests and t-tests. Multivariable logistic regression models with a random effect to account for plate effects were used to assess the associations (odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)) of analyte levels with: race, family history of breast cancer, smoking, baby's age in days, body mass index at time of sample donation, age, menarche, age at first birth, return of menses, parity, and over-the-counter pain medication. Results: Of the 15 analytes measured, all but VEGFC and TIE2 were detectable and reliably measured. Black women compared to White women had higher BMI (p = 0.05) and higher parity (p = 0.02), and were younger age at menarche (p = 0.005) and younger age at first birth (p = 0.01). White women had higher levels of smoking (p = 0.01) and more frequently had a first degree relative with breast cancer (p = 0.03). Compared with White women, Black women had significantly higher levels of IL1-β (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.13 - 2.77, p = 0.01) adjusting for the baby's age in days. Black women had significantly higher levels of leptin (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.28 - 3.15, p = 0.002) and leptin/adiponectin ratio (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.49 - 3.72, p = 0.0004), even after adjusting for body mass index. Discussion: Preliminary data demonstrate differences in levels of putative markers of breast cancer risk between White and Black women, including IL1-β, leptin and the leptin/adiponectin ratio. These data suggest that further analyses of biomarkers in breastmilk may be useful for understanding breast cancer risk and to identify possible factors that may be associated with racial disparities in early onset and basal breast cancers. Citation Format: Jeanne Murphy, Mark E. Sherman, Ruth M. Pfeiffer, Hannah P. Yang, Ana I. Caballero, Eva P. Browne, Gretchen L. Gierach, Kathleen F. Arcaro. Cytokines and adipokines in breastmilk of black and white women. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4298.

Black women suffer from a persistent disparity in breast cancer mortality after controlling for prognostic and sociodemographic factors, suggesting that differential receipt or efficacy of treatment may contribute to their poorer outcomes. Black women are more likely to experience delays in diagnostic workup and initiation of treatment, but it is not known whether i) timeliness of subsequent care is also impacted, and ii) racial disparities in time to treatment initiation and completion persist among black and white women with comparable clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. The Carolina Breast Cancer Study Phase III is a large population-based cohort of North Carolina women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. This study was restricted to black and white women undergoing surgery for the treatment of nonmetastatic disease. We investigated mean differences in the distribution of time from diagnosis to earliest surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation treatment (treatment initiation) and once started, time to treatment completion (treatment duration) by race. Only treatment-oriented surgeries excluding biopsies were included in this analysis, and last or definitive surgery was defined as the final treatment-oriented surgery occurring prior to recurrence and within 18 months of diagnosis. Cumulative incidence curves were used to graphically examine the distributions of time to treatment initiation and treatment duration, and general linear models were used to estimate crude and adjusted mean differences in time to treatment initiation and duration between black and white women. We also conducted stratified analyses to examine racial disparities by age and stage at diagnosis, hormone receptor (HR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positivity, treatment pathway (surgery only, surgery plus chemotherapy, surgery plus radiation, or all three modalities), marital status, education level, income, and insurance type. A total of 1,328 black and 1,331 white women met study inclusion criteria. Overall, black women had an average of 3.68 additional days to treatment initiation and 34.26 days longer treatment duration than white women, for 37.94 days longer total treatment time (95% confidence interval (CI): 34.21-41.67). Adjustment for clinical and sociodemographic factors resulted in a greater estimated mean difference in time to initiate treatment (4.04 days, 95% CI: 3.08-5.00), while it attenuated the mean difference in treatment duration towards the null (9.07 days, 95% CI: 6.82-11.32). Black women experienced significantly longer time to initiate treatment and treatment duration in nearly every stratum of clinical or sociodemographic factor examined. Black women with stage II or III tumors had significantly longer time to initiate treatment than white women (4.50 and 7.84 days, respectively), and after starting treatment, treatment duration was approximately 25 days longer for black women with stage I and II disease. Black women undergoing radiation and/or chemotherapy had longer time to initiate treatment and significantly longer treatment durations. Having a college education or higher or being insured through Medicaid were associated with the greatest mean differences in time to treatment initiation comparing black and white women. Younger age at diagnosis, HR+ or HER2- disease, being unmarried, having less than a high school education, and being uninsured were associated with the greatest mean differences in treatment duration by race. Overall, black women experienced longer intervals between diagnosis and treatment initiation and greater treatment durations after controlling for clinical and sociodemographic factors. Racial disparities were more pronounced in examination of treatment duration, suggesting that interventions to improve care coordination and timeliness should be targeted at high-risk groups. Citation Format: Sophie E. Mayer, Melissa Troester, Stephanie B. Wheeler, Andrew Olshan, Lisa A. Carey, Jessica Tse, Katherine E. Reeder-Hayes. Temporal patterns of breast cancer treatment initiation and completion among black and white women in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr PR11.

Reviewed by: Men of Color in Higher Education: New Foundations for Developing Models of Success ed. by Ronald A. Williams David Pérez II Men of Color in Higher Education: New Foundations for Developing Models of Success Ronald A. Williams (Editor) Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC., 2014, 159 pages, $32.50 (softcover) Although students of color have experienced gains in college access, men of color continue to be underrepresented at US postsecondary institutions. Efforts to address these concerns have focused primarily on Black men, which has resulted in at least three unintended outcomes: a dearth of research about other men of color, the premature assertion that Black women are achieving more favorable educational outcomes, and essentialism regarding the plight of students of color. Men of Color in Higher Education addresses these concerns by introducing readers to feminist theories and asset-based perspectives aimed at ensuring that all men of color—Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), Black, Latino, and Native American—succeed in college. This book makes a substantive contribution to discourse about men of color in higher education. In the opening chapter, Gordon and Henery provide the underlying theoretical framework for this book by re-theorizing how patriarchy undermines men of color in the United States. Whereas patriarchy is “the force that has claimed masculinity as the sole property of the male body and how it should be expressed and lived . . . patriarchal masculinity encompasses a set of White heterosexual capitalist values, orientations, and expectations that men [of color] negotiate” (p. 7). Stated differently, patriarchal masculinity intersects with racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression to structure the lives of men of color and our understanding of this population. These authors illuminate how patriarchal masculinity situates Black men in competitive relationships of dominance and subordination with women as well as other men. Their analyses of the crises facing Black men reveals how the problems men of color face in society stem from patriarchal masculinity and how concerns about Black women are often dismissed. The next two chapters focus on AAPI and Native American men, populations that have received less scholarly attention, with the exception of a report published by The College Board (2010). In chapter 2, Teranishi and Pazich critique the categorization of men of color as a monolithic community and emphasize the need for research that addresses the heterogeneity among AAPI males. Contrary to other men of color, specifically Blacks and Latinos, AAPIs are often characterized as model minorities because of their perceived success in the United States. The authors use intersectionality as a theoretical lens to deconstruct this stereotype by analyzing census data on the educational attainment of AAPI students. Their critical analysis illuminates disparities among AAPI students based on gender, ethnicity, and generational standing. In addition to debunking the model minority stereotype, they draw attention to AAPI ethnic groups, such as Cambodians and Laotians, in need of further support in higher education. Bitsóí and Lee, in chapter 3, interrogate the role ahistoricism plays in concealing the deleterious effects of colonialism, patriarchy, and genocide on Native Americans. Similar to AAPI populations, ahistoricism has perpetuated stereotypes about Native Americans, which [End Page 309] have contributed to a lack of awareness of indigenous histories. These factors partially explain why Native Americans continue to be one of the most underrepresented, misunderstood, and underserved student populations in higher education. Recognizing the value of indigenous perspectives, Bitsóí and Lee draw on Tribal Critical Race Theory and Native feminist scholarship to explore how Native American men cope with heteronormative patriarchy and intergenerational trauma. Although the authors present a sobering historical portrait, they highlight the potential of Native American Studies, organizations such as the National Indian Youth Leadership Project, and Tribal colleges and universities in educating young men and reconstructing the Native American community. Before deploying feminist methodologies in the study of Latino male collegians in chapter 4, Sáenz and Bukoski revisit existing notions of masculinity. They provide an overview of feminist movements, acknowledging the significant contributions of Black and Chicana feminists, and juxtapose these movements with the masculinist movement. Although Sáenz and Bukoski acknowledge the risk inherent in using feminism in men’s studies, they illustrate how theories such as materialism and...

Racial and ethnic disparities in assisted reproductive technology outcomes in the United States

Objective: Lower nitric oxide bioavailabilty associates with hypertension in diseased and elderly populations. With hypertension known to develop earlier in black populations, we compared both plasma and urinary nitric oxide-related markers and their associations with central systolic blood pressure and arterial stiffness in healthy young black and white adults. Design and method: We included healthy black and white men and women (n = 1110; 20–30 years) and measured central systolic blood pressure and pulse wave velocity, along with both plasma and urinary arginine, homoarginine, asymmetric dimethylarginine, symmetric dimethylarginine, as well as urinary ornithine/citrulline, nitrite and nitrate. Additionally, the urinary nitrate-to-nitrite ratio was calculated. Results: The black men and women had higher central systolic blood pressure and higher plasma arginine and asymmetric dimethylarginine, but lower urinary nitrate and urinary nitrate-to-nitrite ratio (all p&lt; = 0.003) than their white counterparts. In single and forward stepwise multiple regression analyses, we found an inverse association of central systolic blood pressure (adj. R2 = 0.124; β= –0.134; p = 0.006) and plasma homoarginine in black men. Central systolic blood pressure associated inversely with urinary nitrate-to-nitrite ratio in black women only (adj. R2 = 0.171; β= –0.130; p = 0.029). In the white women, central systolic blood pressure associated positively with urinary asymmetric dimethylarginine (adj. R2 = 0.372; β= 0.162; p = 0.015). Pulse wave velocity associated inversely with plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (adj. R2 = 0.253; β= –0.163; p = 0.024) in the white women only. Conclusions: The lower nitric oxide synthesis and the higher central systolic blood pressure in our black cohort support the notion of a potential increased risk for future large artery stiffness and hypertension development in later life.

To compare anthropometric, endocrine, and metabolic parameters among White, Black, and Mixed-race women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This cross-sectional study enrolled 392 Brazilian women of different races, 308 women with PCOS and 84 without PCOS. The proportions of differences in races/ethnicities between groups were compared using a chi-squared test with Bonferroni adjustment for the number of comparisons. Comparisons between PCOS and control in each race group were performed using Student t test or Z test where appropriate. Differences among more than two Gaussian variables were determined using one-way analysis of variance followed by a Tukey post hoc test. Age and body mass index as possible confounders of the found results were controlled using a multinominal logistic regression. The proportions of ages and races were not different between women with PCOS and the control group (p = 0.099 and p = 0.978, respectively). Diastolic blood pressure was higher among Black women with PCOS (p < 0.001) and not different among Mixed-race (p = 0.667) or White (p = 0.133) races in the control group. Body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and fat mass were higher in Black women than in White women with PCOS (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). Free testosterone levels were higher among Black women than White women (p < 0.001) and Mixed-race women (p < 0.001) with PCOS, but the levels were not different in the control group. HbA1C was also higher among Black women with PCOS (p = 0.041). Black women with PCOS presented higher concentrations of carbohydrate and lipid than White women. Regarding hormones, free testosterone levels and free androgen index were higher among Black women than among White and Mixed-race women with PCOS. The control group did not present anthropometric, metabolic, and endocrine differences among races. The findings of the current study strongly suggest that ethnic background has a wide implication in the development of comorbidities, diagnosis, or for the clinical assistance of women with PCOS. The analysis of race/ethnicity is recommended in future studies with focus on pathophysiological, biochemical, and clinical characteristics.